Zinc
and Cancer - Seminar by Belinda
Hope
Hypothesis
: Zinc deficiency leads to cancer,
and cancer therapy leads to zinc deficiency
Zinc
- role in health and disease
•
Zinc is an essential trace mineral which is useful for growth
and development of cells and maintains immune function.
•
It impacts on key immunity mediators, enzymes, peptides,
cytokines, regulates lymphoid cell activation, proliferation
and apoptosis.
•
People with zinc deficiency are at risk of impaired immune
system and poor resistance to infection or disease, poor
wound healing, poor appetite, mental lethargy, and taste
or smell problems.
•
All of these symptoms are problematic for cancer patients
•
Zinc is also involved with RNA and DNA synthesis, and therefore
cell division. The immune system depends on rapid proliferation
of cells to be effective - this is why a deficiency in zinc
impairs immunity.
Zinc
and Cancer
•
Cancer cells must fight to establish survival. They can
only manifest if the environment allows.
•
Therefore, the nutritional approach to cancer prevention
is to provide an environment hostile to malignant cells.
•
One way to do this is to improve general immunity using
nutrients such as zinc.
Zinc
deficiency signs - Leuchonychia
•
White spots appear on the nail plate - possible zinc deficiency
as nails are markers of dietary zinc intake over 3-12 months
•
Chemotherapy drugs are known to cause white bands across
the nails as a side effect of the medication.
Zinc
deficiency and cancer
•
Epidemiologic studies suggest zinc deficiency may be associated
with increased cancer risk
•
Zinc supplementation helps decrease oxidative stress and
improves immune function - possible mechanisms for cancer
preventive activity.
•
Zinc levels are possible prognostic factors when determining
the chance of a patient reaching remission.
•
The higher the zinc status before chemotherapy treatment,
the higher the chance of remission
•
Zinc supplementation may improve the clinical course of
general conditions in cancer patients
Zinc
and chemotherapy drugs
•
No evidence of negative interferance between zinc and chemotherapy
drugs
•
Evidence of higher zinc status = better recovery and reduced
side effects
•
Zinc supplementation is known to reduce intestinal permeability
and improve inflamed mucous lining - useful for chemotherapy-induced
damage.
•
Plasma zinc and other antioxidants improved with the micronutrient
formula, which help deal with the free radicals caused by
chemo.
•
Preventing or reducing inflammation during cancer treatment
may improve recovery.
Zinc
and side-effects of chemo and general deficiency
•
It can also lower the risk of stimulating early metastatic
tumour growth in other areas.
•
Reducing inflammatory cytokines reduces the risk of regrowth
of the tumour after surgery.
•
Zinc is a platelet activator inhibitor and should be given
to patients with inflammatory cancer
•
Zinc is important for proper wound healing. If deficient,
wound healing from surgery may be impeded, and could lead
to
•
Wound haemmorhage and reduced oxygen to tissue
•
Infection and immunosuppression
•
Necrotic tissue instead of healing tissue
•
Use of anti-inflammatory and cytotoxic medication
•
General nutritional deficiencies
•
Tumours
•
Metabolic disorders (eg diabetes)
•
Denervation of wounds
•
Impaired appetite, taste and dryness of the mouth can be
a sign of zinc deficiency and is also found in patients
with anorexia or cancer.
•
Improvement in these with zinc supplementation
•
These symptoms may be a trivial side effect to chemo,
but maintaining appetite is key to recovery with cancer
or any illness, so zinc plays an important role.
Supplementation
Guide
•
Suggestion for prevention = min USRDA 8-11mg per day (most
supplements contain 14.9mg)
•
Suggestion for combined cancer treatment = max tolerable
upper limit 40mg per day
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